FOREST BLOG: Many positives, despite anger over Burke sale

Lee Clarke

I feel like I must start this piece by saying that in no way is this a chance for me to vent about how much I feel the chairman of Nottingham Forest is ruining a once proud football club as I simply refuse to give him the column inches below my name.

Instead, as I was watching the deadline day fiasco unfold I started to think about what I could put into an article and although anger, frustration and upset came into my thoughts, I eventually decided I would focus on the first month positives of the 2016/17 campaign.

Young Matty Cash is one, a 100 percent home record another, whilst the attacking football which new boss Philippe Montanier has tried to utilise is exciting to say the very least.

Obviously the sale of exciting prospect Oliver Burke for £13 million to Red Bull Leipzig has cast a big shadow over the City Ground once more but we must remember for the next few months, that this is not the fault of Montanier or his squad of players.

The sale of Burke is not ideal. Whilst £13 million is a good fee right now, the fact that Fawaz didn’t include a sell-on clause in his contract is ludicrous and a sign of exactly why the Kuwaiti businessman must sell the club.

Burke could be worth treble his current fee by the time he leaves Germany and Forest won’t see a single penny of it now – a shame really, especially considering the Reds have nurtured the 19-year-old for close to 11 years.

However, the club has done some pretty solid business this summer and the three arrivals yesterday made it 11 in total.

Although they are not household names, recent performances have suggested that with time we could have a good season.

I say time because Montanier has signed these players and what the club needs to do now is give him the right amount of time to get the very best out of them.

Damien Perquis at the back looks to be a solid signing, whilst Pajtim Kasami is getting better with each passing game.

Add to the mix the proven Championship qualities of Henri Lansbury, Chris Cohen, Ben Osborn and Britt Assombalonga and there really is no reason why we can’t still have a decent season.

Obviously an attacking spark has gone, a match-winning one at that, but what is to say another player can’t step up and be just as effective as Burke has been? The replacements need a chance at the very least before people start to push the panic button.

When I found the Burke news out I was beyond distraught, but as with most things when it comes to football you get over it.

I am sure that we, as supporters, will get answers in good time from the hierarchy but for now let’s stop the social media bickering and immature berating of poor, innocent journalists and put the same level of energy into doing what we do best - supporting Nottingham Forest.

The next month of Championship fixtures looks tough on paper but with the right level of support and commitment from the stands there is no reason why Forest can’t continue to punch above their weight in the nether regions of the Sky Bet Championship.

Players and managers will come and go in football but the supporters will always remain.

Our football team needs us more now than ever before so let’s back and see what happens between now and May.